1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cup holding devices, and more particularly to a cup holder that insulates the user""s hand from the cup.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most disposable drinking cups are not generally outfitted with integral gripping means by which a user may grip the cup. Therefore, the user is most often required to grip the cup directly at several points about its circumference using his or her fingers and hand in order gain favorable purchase of the cup when the user is drinking from it or moving its location. However, because drinking cups, whether they be formed from plastic, paper, or any other material known in the art, are generally smooth on their outer surfaces, they may be easily dropped, particularly when the outside surface is wet from condensation or liquid spillage.
More commonly, such cups are generally poorly insulated and can become very hot to the touch on their outer surfaces when they contain hot beverages such as coffee or tea. As a result, the user is unable to securely and confidently grasp the cup without enduring some degree of pain if the beverage is hot, or without concern that the high temperature or the condensation or spillage that may be present on the outside of the cup will interfere with the grip and cause the cup to slip from his or her hand.
There have been several advancements in the art that have sought to address these concerns. Some have proposed handles in the form of strips that surround the cup, or other beverage container, that are connected by elements built into the strip itself For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,583 issued to Noon discloses a disposable handle formed by flexible heavy paper or plastic strip that wraps around the cup to be connected together at its opposite ends. U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,067 issued to Effertz discloses a single layer elastic thermal insulator strip wrapped around a beverage can and secured by cooperative interlocking engagement members at the terminal ends of the strip. While these devices may be inexpensive and convenient, they do not provide the convenience desired for repetitive use.
Other prior art developments have sought to secure a beverage container in place while providing more durable handles. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,109 issued to Cook discloses a split collar that fits over a beverage can and mounts a crank handle between its opposite ends for rotation to a securing position pressing frictionally against the side of the can. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,675 issued to Walker discloses a can caddy having a bottom well with a vertical stem at one side mounting a hand grip configured with a forwardly projecting clasp at the top end. This one-piece cup caddy is designed to maintain its grip on a beverage can through downward pressure exerted by a resilient clip that secures the can in place in an indentation formed in a circular base. However, while these devices may be sufficient for supporting applications involving beverage cans, they are not well suited to applications incorporating beverage cups because the structural compositions of such cups do not have the inherent rigidity that is found in such beverage cans.
Some prior art devices have sought various ways to lend the sufficient rigidity to drinking cup applications that is required for user confidence and comfort. U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,633 issued to Brink et al. discloses an adjustable diameter coiled gripping member for surrounding a cup to be fixed at an adjusted diameter and held by a D-shaped handle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,805 issued to Shaddy discloses a cup holder formed by a wide ring of thermally insulative material and an annular band projecting radially inwardly and having an annular inward surface textured to frictionally engage the cup, the band being formed with a shoulder spaced below the upper edge of the ring. A vertically oriented elongated oval-shaped ring is mounted on the outer surface of the ring for supporting the ring and a cup held in the ring. However, while these devices may be of some utility, they are relatively bulky and the D and oval shaped handles do not afford good purchase for the user""s fingers for positive support of the held cup.
Consequently, there exists a need for a cup holder that is designed to reliably and securely grasp a cup while providing a handle that may be complementally and comfortably received by the fingers of the user to hold the cup erect. It would also be beneficial for such a cup holder to incorporate structural features that permit the holder to grasp cups of varying dimensions and that prevent the movement of the cup and holder that may occur when the user does not grasp the handle tightly due to inability or fatigue.
The improved cup holder of the present invention is characterized by a circular band for nesting of a cup therein and a vertical stem secured to one side thereof and projecting downwardly below the band to form a vertically extending pad. A radially outwardly projecting hand grasp is formed with the stem. In one embodiment, the hand grasp may be in the form of a numeral 3 to be configured with vertically disposed finger-receiving ring shaped elements for receipt of the index and second finger of a user""s hand.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.